Exp Mol Med.  2001 Dec;33(4):234-239.

Regulation of leptin gene expression by insulin and growth hormone in mouse adipocytes

• Lee KN
• Jeong IC
• Lee SJ
• Oh SH
• Cho MY

Abstract

The role of leptin in the control of obesity, insulin resistance and type II diabetes has been reported, however, the regulatory mechanism of leptin in animals affected by hormones is not clearly understood. In this study, the effects of insulin, epinephrine, growth hormone or dexamethasone on the expression of leptin was examined in mouse primary adipocytes. The leptin expression was also studied in the adipose tissue of the mouse treated with insulin or growth hormone (0.3 or 0.6 units/animal). Insulin (100 nM) or dexamethasone (100 nM) stimulated leptin mRNA transcription while epinephrine (100 nM) alleviated its transcription in mouse primary adipocytes. The level of leptin protein in cultured media of adipocytes treated with insulin or dexamethasone was higher than that of the control group but growth hormone or epinephrine treatment had no effect on them. Insulin administration (0.6 units/mouse) enhanced leptin mRNA as well as leptin protein in mouse adipose tissue but growth hormone administration (0.3 or 0.6 units/mouse) had no effect on them. Leptin protein level in sera of mice injected with insulin or growth hormone was not significantly different from that of control group. These results indicate that both insulin and dexamethasone stimulate leptin gene expression and secretion of its product, whereas, growth hormone has no effect on the expression of leptin gene in mouse adipocytes.

Keyword

Leptin; Insulin; Growth hormone; Expression

MeSH Terms

Adipocytes/*metabolism
Animal
Cells, Cultured
Culture Media/analysis
Dexamethasone/pharmacology
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Epinephrine/pharmacology
Gene Expression Regulation/*drug effects
Growth Hormone/blood/*pharmacology
Hypoglycemic Agents/blood/*pharmacology
Insulin/blood/*pharmacology
Leptin/blood/genetics/*metabolism
Male
Mice
Mice, Inbred ICR
RNA, Messenger/analysis
Transcription, Genetic/drug effects